Method of making plaster of paris product



Patented July 29, 1952 LIETHOD OF MAKING PLASTER OF PARIS PRODUCT I Alvin Richard Ingram, Glens'liaw, and James Joseph Elierl, Chester, Pa, assignors to J 01mi- 'son' &' Johnsonra corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application February 25, 1950," Serial No. 146,398 r I 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the production of plaster of Paris products andis particularly concerned with plaster of Paris bandages. for orthopedic purposes. This application is a continua,- tion in part of our application Ser. No. 761,166 filed July 15, 1947, now abandoned.

Plaster of Paris, a hemi-hydrateof calcium sulfate, is commonly prepared by heating gypsum to remove a portion of the water of crystallization therefrom. For many applications the plaster of Paris is then mixed with water to form a paste which, after application to a surface or after formation to the desired shape, is allowed to rehydrate and crystallize forming a set, hard plaster mass. This process is used frequently in the formation of casts to aid in the setting of broken bones and in the immobilization of otherwise mobile members. v

Mathey Patent 1,726,403, issued August 29, 1929, describes an orthopedic plaster of Paris bandage that comprises particles of plaster of Paris adhering to a backing of gauze, crinoline or the like. A bandage of this type is dipped in water by the physician for a brief period, then wrapped around a portion of the patients body, and allowed to set up as a cast. This bandage is made by preparing a paste of plaster of Paris, spreading it upon the backing and drying it without hydrating. In order to prevent premature, spontaneous crystallization during this process, it is necessary to inhibit setting up of the plaster while producing the bandage. The Mathey patent discloses the use of crystallization retarders that are volatile and that can be removed by evaporation during the drying process. Weak acids, particularly acetic acid are suggested as transitory retarders in the patent reference and have been used extensively in industry for this purpose. Dr. Matheys invention has attained great commercial success both in the United States and abroad and has resulted in considerable simplification of the production of plaster casts. Many millions of plaster bandages have been made in accordancetherewith.

'Whi1e the'strength of the dry casts of the prior art has been considered satisfactory in nearly all instances, there have been complaints regarding weakness of the wet cast during the drying and crystallizing period of oneto seven days that. follows application of the bandage; Laboratory tests indicate that the Wet strength of casts that have been retarded by'a weak acid drops by an averageof 41.3 per cent within'twenty hours after Wetting. p The invention is based upon the surprising dis- (cunts-111) 2 covery that loss of wet strength in plaster casts is caused by presence in the dried plaster of salts of the weak acidsthat are used as. transitory i'nhibitors in the production of the bandage. The evidence indicates that these. weak acids react in the plaster mix with acid-neutralizing impurities (hereafter called alkaline impurities) in the plaster of Paris to form a minute amount of salts such as calcium acetate, ammonium acetate, magnesium acetate, sodium acetate and calcium propionate or calcium formate, depending upon theimpurity present and upon the type of weak acid inhibitor used. Acetic acid is commercially the most important inhibitor, but. propionic or formic acid may also be used;

In accordance withthe invention the presence in the plaster ofParis product of the alkaline salts of the weak acid retarders is avoided regardless of how they are formed. Tests prove conclusively that removal of these salts from the plaster of Paris results in products that do not lose their wet strength. Any treatment for removal of the objectionable salts may be used in accordance with the invention although esterification of the acid retarders or treatment of the plaster with an acid that is stronger (i. e. has a higher dissociation constant) than the acid retarder involved is preferred.

The acids found satisfactory in the execution of the invention are normally stronger than formic acid and fall into two mainclasses: (1) organic acids that are stronger than formic acid and that form water-insoluble calcium salts, i. e. calcium salts that have a solubility'of less than one gram per one hundred cubic centimeters of water at twenty degrees centigrade and (2). inorganic acids, stronger than formic acid, regardless of whether their calcium salts are water-insoluble. It is surprising to note that organic acids that form'soluble calcium salts appear unsuitable, while the processmay'becarried. out to good advantage evenwith inorganic acids. producing soluble salts, eg. hydrochloric acid and nitric acid. Sulfuric acid is preferred because thecalcium salt formed is similar to the. plaster of Paris. However, all acids within the above-mentioned groups may be used to advantage in connection with transitory retarder's basedon weak organic acids such as formic,' acetic and propionic acid.

A large excess of' the weak acid. retarder'sis used in the production of plaster of Paris products and accordingly the amount of objectionable salts present inthe plaster products-dependsupon the amount of alkaline impurities inthe raw plaster that is introducedinto the mix.- This amount varies depending upon the source of the gypsum. Plaster of Paris from English sources has only traces of calcium carbonate or other alkali present While the amount of alkaline im- Example VI Instead of effecting the above described treatment in the mix it is sometimes desirable to repurities in plaster from sources in the United 5 move the objectionable salts after application of States varies fromtraces to approximately onethe plaster to the backing Forlthis purpose a fifth of a per c'entjb'ywei'ght in the case of plaster crinoline weighing one and one-half ounces per from Kansas to more than six per cent in the square yard was prepared using for seventy case of low grade plaster from New York. The 7 pounds of gauze, thirty pounds of dextrin and extent of treatment required for removal of the B a d O ealf p u ds of tartaric acidobjectionable salts varies accordingly. Removal" Eleven ounces 'per' square yard of solids of the of part or preferably of all of the salts of the" plaster of Paris mix shown in the table as Conweak acids proves beneficial but treatment by 13ml A Was pp ed d t Coated Web was dried. amounts of strong acids substantially in excess .Plaster-iof .Paris'casts made from this product of those theoretically required to avoid the ob- 15 showed substantially no loss in wet strength injectionable salts may in itself tend to weaken the dicating that the acetates had been destroyed cast. If stoichiometric amounts of the strong and tartrates had been formed. acids are used, a satisfactory product is obtained.- In place of the acids sepcifically mentioned in The extent of treatment, however, may be varied the above examples, all other acids stronger within rather wide limits-and it is noted that good than the weak acid retarders involved may be casts result ordinarily provided the weight of used. .Those acids, however, forming salts that strong acid applied is of the same order as the precipitate from the mix and are not objectionweight .ofalkaline impurities that have been able in contact with the skin are preferred. introduced into the mix. Among commercially important acids found Plaster of Paris 1, comprising originally less particularly useful are fumaric acid, hydrochloric than one per "cent alkaline impurities is preacid, maleic acidjmalic acid, nitric acid, oxalic ferred 'in the industry, although somewhat acid, phosphoric acid,- succinic acid, sulfuric higher amounts may be made satisfactory in acid, and tartaric acid. some respects by the'use'of this invention. Additional ingredients may be usedin the In order to disclose the nature of the present plaster of Paris compound. Adhesives to aid in invention more clearly and in order to show the bonding the plaster particles to themselves and manner in which the invention may be carried to the bandage are frequently utilized to assist out, specific examples illustrating preferred emin retaining the plaster of Paris on its support bodiments are described hereinafter in conuntil the bandage is used and to prevent loss of siderable detail. It, should, however, be clearly plaster and telescoping as the bandage is wetted understood that this is done not for the purpose out and molded in service. Among adhesives of limitingv the breadth of the invention or rethat serve to satisfaction are dextrin, tapioca stricting the scope of the appended claims, but starch, methyl cellulose and polyvinyl alcohol. only to illustrate the principles involved. Certain types of plaster of Paris may require ac- Earamples I-V Ex- Ex- Ex- Ex- Ex- Con- Cong gi g gg yg ig amlple anfiile arfirile 8.1336818 ample til tgil Plaster of Paris: I i

from Blue Rapids, Kansas (About 0.22% by weight alkaline reacting materials) 100 100 100 100 100 from southward, OklahornMAbout 1.5% by weight alkaline reacting materials). 100 100 1 Acetic Acid 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 Oxalic Acid i 0. 4 Phosphoric Acid 0. 2 Concentrated Sulfun 0.15 0.2 1.5 Water 2s 2s 2s 2s 2s 2s 28 Original wet tensile strength 1 per square inch 85 85 85 85 82 5 Wet tensile strength 20hours after wetting, lbs. per square-inch 83 85 85 86 81 48 1 300 grams of dry plaster per 240 cc. water.

In the above examples the plaster of Paris 60 celerators, e. g. potassium sulfate, which acand the acetic acid (which is shown in the excelerate the ultimate setting time during apamples merely as a typical example of the transiplication of the cast by the physician. Additory retarders. that..are weak acids and form tional retarders in addition to the weak acid objectionable salts) were dispersed in water are often desirable and the Water contentof the under mild agitation and thoroughly mixed to spreading compound may be varied ithi m. the consistency of aheavy paste. The stronger tively widelimits. Instead of crinoline, gauze acid .was added at the same time as the acetic or any other porous backing may be used with acid or thereafter, either before or during apthe plaster of Paris. plication; 'of the paste to the bandage. The All embodiments within the scope of this paste was appliedto crinoline in the form of a specification and/or the appended claims are thin film by means of a knife coater. The coated comprehended within the scope and spirit of material was then dried for about three minutes this invention. These various embodiments of at a temperaturepf-BIO? F.- Wet strength tests the invention were described for purposes of of typical samples give test results approxiillustration rather than limitation. All variamating those given in -the table.- tions and modifications of the invention are understood as being included within the scope of the following appended claims.

The claims are:

1. A process for making a settable plaster of Paris product from plaster of Paris, comprising a minor amount of alkaline impurities less than six per cent by weight comprising the steps: of forming a suspension of said impure plaster of Paris in water and of a weak acid as transitory retarder therefor and selected from the groupconsisting of acetic acid, formic acid and propionic acid; adding to said suspension a minoramount of a strong acid, not substantially in excess of the amount equivalent stoichiometrically to the amount of said impurities in said plaster, and selected from the group consisting of organic acids, stronger than formic acid, that form calcium salts the water solubility of which does not exceed one gram per one hundred cubic centimeters of water at 20 twenty degrees centigrade, and of the inorganic acids stronger than formic acid; and drying said plaster of Paris at elevated temperature, thereby removing said water and said transitory retarder and forming said settable plaster of Paris product.

2. A process'according to claim 1 in which the strong acid is a sulfuric acid.

3. A process according to claim 1 in which the strong acid is oxalic acid.

4. A process according to claim 1 in which the strong acid is phosphoric acid.

5. A process according to claim l'in which the strong acid is hydrochloric acid.

6. A process according to claim 1 in which the strong acid is tartaric acid.

'7. A process according to claim 1 in which the alkaline impurities comprise less than about one per cent by weight of said plaster of Paris.

ALVIN RICHARD INGRAM. JANIES JOSEPH EBERL.

'No references cited. 

1. A PROCESS FOR MAKING A SETTABLE PLASTER OF PARIS PRODUCT FROM PLASTER OF PARIS, COMPRISING A MINOR AMOUNT OF ALKALINE IMPURITIES LESS THAN SIX PER CENT BY WEIGHT COMPRISING THE STEPS: OF FORMING A SUSPENSION OF SAID IMPURE PLASTER OF PARIS IN WATER AND OF A WEAK ACID AS TRANSITORY RETARDER THEREFOR AND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ACETIC ACID, FORMIC ACID AND PROPIONIC ACID; ADDING TO SAID SUSPENSION A MINOR AMOUNT OF A STRONG ACID, NON SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE AMOUNT EQUIVALENT STOICHIOMETRICALLY TO THE AMOUNT OF SAID IMPURITIES IN SAID PLASTER, AND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ORGANIC ACIDS, STRONGER THAN FORMIC ACID, THAT FORM CALCIUM SALTS THE WATER SOLUBILITY OF WHICH DOES NOT EXCEED ONE GRAM PER ONE HUNDRED CUBIC CENTIMETERS OF WATER AT TWENTY DEGREES CENTRIGRADE, AND OF THE INORGANIC ACIDS STRONGER THAN FORMIC ACID; AND DRYING SAID PLASTER OF PARIS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURE, THEREBY REMOVIING SAID WATER AND SAID TRANSITORY RETARDER AND FORMING SAID SETTABLE PLASTER OF PARIS PRODUCT. 